Babbka Bar in Bogotá: A Kosher Bakery Experience in Colombia
- Mark Vogel
- Aug 31
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 6
Kosher Bakery in Bogotá, Colombia ✈
When I was in Bogotá, Colombia, I stopped by Babbka Bar, a kosher bakery that specializes in babka and related pastries. They spell the name with two b’s, “Babbka,” and they also use the branding “Yum Babbka.” The bakery is located at Cra. 12 # 85-65, in the Chapinero neighborhood, a part of the city known for its mix of cafés, restaurants, and shops. It is also notable that Babbka Bar sits directly next to Manhattan Delicatessen, a kosher deli that I also visited. Together, the two places form a small corner of Jewish food culture in Bogotá, something I didn’t necessarily expect to find in this South American capital.
Walking up to the bakery, you notice the black awning with the words “Babbka Bar” in white letters. Outside, there are a couple of small tables with black chairs and planters filled with greenery. It’s a setup that allows customers to sit outdoors with a coffee and a piece of babka, but in reality most people stop by for takeout. The sign near the entrance shows an image of babka paired with a coffee and the phrase “Siempre hay tiempo para un café con babka,” which means “There’s always time for coffee with babka.”
“For me, visiting Babbka Bar was about more than just grabbing a snack. It was about seeing how traditions travel and adapt, how something with roots in Eastern Europe can find a place in South America.”
Inside, the shop has a minimalist design. On one wall is a bench with a dark blue cushion and a small table, giving the option of sitting down briefly. The counter showcases the pastries behind glass. Neatly displayed are the smaller twisted babkas in different flavors such as chocolate, cinnamon, and apple. Each one is shaped into a knot, baked to a golden color, and glazed lightly so that they shine under the lights. Above them on a shelf are the larger loaves, wrapped in clear plastic and labeled with flavors like Nutella, Chocavino, Manzana (apple), Chocolate, and Canela (cinnamon). Prices are clearly marked, reflecting both the individual pastries and the larger loaves you can take home.
Babka is a sweet braided bread with origins in Eastern European Jewish communities. The word itself in Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian means “grandmother,” which reflects how recipes and traditions were passed down in families. The bread traditionally is enriched, folded, smeared with filling (chocolate, cinnamon, sometimes fruit or nuts), then twisted and baked so layers of dough and filling alternate. In many versions, after baking a sweet glaze or syrup is brushed on, giving that characteristic sheen. Over time, babka has evolved: thicker loaves, more dramatic fillings, more twists, and sweeter glazes. Some even with streusel, the crumbly topping made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and butter, sometimes with added spices like cinnamon or extras such as chopped nuts or oats. When baked, it turns golden and crisp, adding both texture and sweetness. Babka has moved from home kitchens and Jewish bakeries in Eastern Europe to places like New York, Israel, and now Bogotá. Each place gives it its own touch based on local ingredients and taste preferences.
Historically, babka likely developed in the 19th century or earlier, as East European Ashkenazi Jewish households used sweet doughs leftover from other breads, added jams or chocolate or cinnamon sugar, rolled them, twisted them and baked them in loaf pans. The twisted loaf style became popular in major Jewish bakeries in places like New York, particularly after immigrants arrived in the late 19th and early 20th century. In recent decades, babka has enjoyed renewed interest. Artisan bakeries in major cities have reinterpreted it, pushing fillings like Nutella, salted caramel, or guava, experimenting with new shapes and finishes. When a bakery like Babbka Bar opens in Bogotá, it’s building on this history—bringing a globally appreciated pastry into a market that may not have had many dedicated babka specialists before.
During my visit, I tried the individual babkas. They are smaller portions than the traditional loaf, twisted into a knot so you can enjoy one without committing to a full bread. The chocolate version had a rich filling swirled through the soft dough, while the cinnamon one carried that classic spice flavor, slightly sticky from the glaze. Both were satisfying and made for a good pairing with coffee. They also feature an apple babka, which combined pieces of fruit baked into the dough, adds a different texture and sweetness.
Aside from babka, the shop also sells packaged goods like granola and roasted chickpeas. The granola comes in clear plastic tubs with the Yum Babbka branding on the label, while the chickpeas are stacked nearby, labeled as “garbanzo crocante.” It’s an extension of the bakery’s approach, offering items that customers can take home and snack on later. There is also a selection of tea bags available near the counter, including brands like Stash and Celestial Seasonings, giving customers something to go along with their pastries if they don’t want coffee.
The branding of Yum Babbka is consistent throughout. Their paper bags and wrapping feature a repeated illustration of a grandmotherly figure with glasses and a bun, tying back to the name’s origin. It’s playful but also reinforces the bakery’s message of tradition and comfort food. The interior signage is minimal, keeping the focus on the baked goods and the small-scale atmosphere. Even the tubs of granola and chickpeas carry the same graphic identity, showing that the bakery thought carefully about how to connect the idea of family tradition with modern packaging.
Babbka Bar in Bogotá is both familiar and local at the same time. The concept of babka as a Jewish pastry is something I’ve experienced in New York and Israel, but here in Colombia it’s given a new setting. In New York, babka often comes in hefty loaves, dense with chocolate or cinnamon, sometimes sold in kosher bakeries in Brooklyn or specialty shops in Manhattan. In Israel, babka is also common, often called by other names like kokosh, with fillings that range from chocolate to halva. Compared to those, the babkas at Babbka Bar are smaller, lighter, and shaped for individual snacking, reflecting how people in Bogotá may prefer something portable to go with coffee. Being next to Manhattan Delicatessen adds another layer, as you can easily stop by for a pastrami sandwich at the deli and then head next door for babka and coffee. Together, they form a small pocket of Jewish culinary culture in Bogotá that caters to both locals and visitors.
The bakery’s approach is simple: a focused menu, quality baking, and branding that communicates its story. The pastries themselves show the skill in twisting and baking the dough properly so the fillings are evenly distributed. The small individual babkas are priced so that they are accessible as a daily treat, while the larger loaves work as something to bring home for family or guests.
On my visit, I noticed that the bench inside was empty while most customers picked up their babkas to go. The neighborhood makes that easy, as it is a busy commercial area with foot traffic, office workers, and people running errands. Grabbing a chocolate babka and a coffee to take back to work or home is a natural way to enjoy the bakery’s products. For those who want to sit down, the bench and outdoor tables are there, but the business seems to be driven mainly by takeaway orders.
In Bogotá, you don’t necessarily expect to come across babka. Yet here it is, presented in a modern setting that still respects its origins. Babbka Bar, or Yum Babbka as their branding emphasizes, connects the tradition of Eastern European Jewish baking with the city’s contemporary food scene. It’s a place where you can experience something familiar if you know babka already, or discover it for the first time if you don’t.
Spending time here gave me another perspective on the diversity of Bogotá’s food landscape. In addition to local Colombian bakeries and cafés, there is also room for a kosher bakery specializing in a pastry that carries cultural history. And with its neighbor, Manhattan Delicatessen, it adds to the small but meaningful presence of Jewish food in the city.
For me, visiting Babbka Bar was about more than just grabbing a snack. It was about seeing how traditions travel and adapt, how something with roots in Eastern Europe can find a place in South America. The babkas I had were both excellent, and the branding of Yum Babbka made the experience memorable. The next time I am in Bogotá, I know I will stop by again, either to sit on the bench with a coffee or to take a loaf back to my hotel.
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